Mr. Editor
Thank you for allowing me to share some thoughts concerning the laws and issues I felt needed to be addressed during the publication of last week’s paper. Many people have commented on my article in the paper. It wasn’t comments about a specific person, but more of one that represented a thankful manner of bringing to light some of the issues that surrounds the Town of Flomaton and the laws and constitution that govern how a municipality should function. The laws are set in place to protect general fund money of a town or city in that the money taken into the town is governed by those with a responsibility to protect the welfare of the citizens of the town and provide adequate service.
So why did I write the article? Some asked if I was planning on running for office during next years election. No, I assure you that is not the case. Not to say that at one time or another that thought has not crossed my mind, but my focus was on the powers of our elected representatives for them to act as a legislative body to protect and provide by law those things which need to be fixed.
I guess I still believe that it takes a village to raise a child, so that same village is just as important when it comes to the well being of a town or city. In fact, I feel that the office of a council member is extremely important. You must realize that each member of the council, and not only the mayor, will receive calls from their constituents. It may be a need to ask questions about a water bill or whatever the case may be. To the voter, no matter what his or her call is about, the need for help from a council member is important.
The council member is truly put in a position in which all they can say is, “We are over finances and property, the mayor supervises all other matters.” Come on. Stop. You guys are the most important function of the government. The executive branch enforces the ordinances that you pass. It not about being argumentative, it is just government at work. I don’t want a group of people who totally agree with each other all the time. I surely don’t want a legislative body that appears to have it all worked out before the meeting.
During my time as a councilman, when people see be Roger and I going at it about a specific topic and whether action should or should not be taken, you would have thought that we just couldn’t stand one another. That wasn’t the case. In fact, he was a good friend to me. It was our job to question each other. I wanted him to hear my side and I in turn heard him. Sometimes I raised my voice, but it was simply doing the job for which I was elected. Each one of the people on council are friends of mine. Each one is different but we each reached a compromise or agreed to disagree but always left the meetings as friends. Because just as life is, no two people are going to always agree.
To get to my point is this. I feel that a council member should have a right to access whatever help he needs directly without having to go through channels or ask for permission. As a matter of fact, I feel that the office itself, just as the office of mayor, holds a respected position in which any department should be instructed to provide whatever is necessary to a councilmember when he or she is trying to help their constituents with any issue they may encounter. I know there are things which are not permitted or can be given out without action of the council and I am not taking about a council member coming in and instructed or giving commands to employees.
Besides that, I don’t think we would have that issue with any one on the council, but I do believe that they deserve all the respect that come with the office. So to you my council member friends with whom I served for a few years with and with whom I have had many more years of friendship, I applaud what you do and just ask you to pray about the decision you make, listen to those around you, agree to just disagree but know that one persons point of view is just as important as yours. God Bless.
Butch Lee
Flomaton Resident
